Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-03-12


nal Beyond-an incomprehensible prob
lem with which he has always been I'M
willing to perpex his brain. / agree with
him. A good stone wall or dirty window
pane has ever sufficed my eyes to rest upon,
for | am at liberty then to imagine things be-
yond as far more beautiful than what there
really is, as the landscapes of my magma
ton are more beautiful than those one
really sees
81 am sorry can't offer you any tea, i"
she continued almost in the same breath.
" We have only one teapot, and my hus-
band keeps his cigars in it.
Would it be discreet to ask, said.
what work Mr.. Mort is at present engaged
on? am anxiously looking forward to
it. | cannot tell you with what pleasure |
read his last book
HE is writing series of Letters from
Heaven she answered. "They are mas
ter-pieces.'
She was about to add something when
my husband rose. He was evidently afraid
that something blasphemous was about to
follow
"Well," he said, as he took his leave, II
don't read novels as a rule but shall make
il a point of getting that one from Nudes.
1t is subject full OF interest TO me as
clergyman. Good day, Mrs. Mort
| said as we stepped into the road. Do
you think the woman is mad 2?
" Mad, certainly not; but very eccentric.
l wonder what the husband is hke?"
"If he is only visible between ten at
night and nine in the morning" | an
swered, 1--WE are not very likely ever to
know. We can't call on him during those
hours
Mrs. Mort never returned our call, nor
did she ever appear at our church, and,
what was stranger, neither she nor her hus-
band was ever seen to leave Sea View
Villa or to take walk in the village. The
door of their house was always closed.
The tradesmen were spoken to through
spyhole. Our grocer told me that he had
been ordered to leave his baskets on the
doorstep whenever he came, and to return
next day for fresh orders and payment.
He always found his empty basket waiting
for him where he had left it. and by its
side an envelope containing his money and
written list of the things he was to bring
the next time be called. Similar instruc-
tons had been given to the other trades
men. The tax-gatheFer, byan arrangement
made with Mr. Dale by Mrs. Mort on sign
ing the lease, was paid by the Squire's
steward.
This extraordinary conduct intrigued us
greatly, and was the subject of intermina-
bic conversation between ourselves and
the Dales whenever we met. These, by
the way, had met with reception similar
to ours on calling at Sea View Their call
had never been returned. / am ashamed
to say we made some very unfair SUPPOSE
tons about the strange lady and her mys-
ferrous husband This was, no doubt, be.
cause we were all disappointed in our
hopes of having pleasant addition to our
small society at Sandville. We forgot TO
| make allowances for people whose profess
sion exacted privacy and retirement, nor
did we remember that the Morris, having
lived for many years on the Continent
were most probably quite unaware of the
usages OF English society. Mr.. Dale seemed
| very annoyed at the conduct of his new
tenants, and openly regretted having let
them his house. His maiden sister spoke
of Mrs Mort as an " irreligious gheul, ;"
while Mrs. Dale strongly modified her
opinion of the lady whom. when signing
nine years lease of her house, she had
found g charming though peculiar
Our bad example was naturally followed
by the villagers, but unfortunately these
did not con6ne themselves 10 verbal specu-
lations. Unable to satisfy their curiosity
by variety of spying round the premises
of the villa, they avenged themselves by
ants. OF an evening groups would form
outside its gates, and cries, insulting or
mirth-proyoking would be uttered This
soon became q regular habit. They called
it "a drawing the badger" On one occa-
sion one young man went so far as to
throw dead cat up against one of the
windows on the first floor. 1t broke the
pane and fell through into the room. amid
the shouts of those present. Suddenly the
window was pulled open and Mrs Mort
appeared. She looked very angry.
" Hurrah, hurrah y screamed the yokels.
We've drawn one badger. Now for
t'other.'
But the laughter occasioned by this sally
was soon checked when it appeared that
Mrs. Mort was commencing reprisals. The
dead cat was first hurled back, and this
was followed by q brisk fire of various
books, Sung with unerring aim by the in
censed lady. These volumes. which were
all from various editions of Shakespeares
works, gave the yokels some smart raps
about the ears. 1t is doubtful how far this
scandal might not have gone had not my
husband happened to come up at that mo-
ment. He was indignant when he heard
what had occurred, and sharply rebuked
his Pensioners, many of whom had their
hands full OF mud and stones which they
Indeed, so strongly did he express his dis
pleasure at such molestation of harmless
and unoffending people, that from that day
forth the nightly scenes outside Sea View
Villa ceased.
After this the general curiosity. for want
of aliment, appeased itself, and gradually
we ceased to occupy ourselves about either
Mrs Mort or her husband.
A few weeks later cousin of mine came
to spend part Of the Oxford vacation with
US. We naturally told him about the affair,
which greatly interested him.
He vowed that he would draw that
badger the same evening.
What a lark y he cried, never
thought when | came down here that l
should find such an adventure waiting for
me. Old Mort, too | am great admirer
of his, but I didn't think he was 4 crank
From his books, one would think him
very jolly. genial sort of fellow
Both my husband and endeavored to
persuade him 10 leave these people alone,
but to no purpose. Charlie had made I'D
his mind, and having matured his plan of
attack, sailed forth at eleven o'clock in the
evening and made his way to Sea View
Villa.
We awaited his return with considerable
anxiety. There was so much mystery at
taching to the house, and Mrs Mort was SO
eccentric in her behavior that we really
felt afraid lest evil should befali him. 1t
was therefore no small relief to us to hear
him ring at the door about an hour later.
rushed out to meet him, and was de-
lighted to see him safe and sound. though
looking rather pale
"Well?n l asked anxiously.
It's all right, he answered "Tve
seen him. But what guy he is He
scared me out of my wits
took him up to my husbands study.
and begged him to tell us all about what
he had seen, and how he had managed to
come face TO face with our invisible
parishioEer.
Yes. he answered; but yor must let
me smoke a cigar while talk-ny nerves
are rather shaken. YOU won't mind.
Mary"
gave my consent readily, and, when he
had lighted his cigar, he began.
knocked several times at the door be-
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